Virtual load balancing across a network link

Abstract

Information is directed across the same corresponding virtual channels in both a first network switch and a second network switch. As a result, any congestion in the second network switch results only in packet dropping associated with the particular congested virtual channel. However, information continues to move across the remaining uncongested virtual channels. As a result, even if congestion occurs in the second network switch, information continues to flow across the single network link between the first and second network switches, i.e., the single network link is not shut down.

1. A network comprising:
 a first network switch comprising a transmit load balancing engine for subdividing at least a first channel into a plurality of transmit virtual channels of the first network switch; 
 a second network switch comprising a receive load balancing engine; and 
 a network link between the first network switch and the second network switch, wherein the first network switch further comprises a link interface device for multiplexing the plurality of transmit virtual channels on to the network line, and wherein the receive load balancing engine subdivides the network link into a plurality of receive virtual channels of the second network switch, equal in number to the plurality of transmit virtual channels of the first network switch. 
 
   
   
     2. The network of  claim 1  wherein the transmit virtual channels are virtually coupled to the receive virtual channels across the network link. 
   
   
     3. The network of  claim 1  wherein the transmit load balancing engine uses an algorithm to direct traffic across the transmit virtual channels. 
   
   
     4. The network of  claim 3  wherein the receive load balancing engine uses the algorithm to direct traffic across the receive virtual channels. 
   
   
     5. The network of  claim 1  further comprising a network device communicatively coupled to the first network switch. 
   
   
     6. The network of  claim 1  further comprising a network device communicatively coupled to the second network switch. 
   
   
     7. The network of  claim 1  wherein the network link is a 10 Gb/s ethernet link. 
   
   
     8. The network of  claim 1  wherein the first network switch comprises a switch fabric comprising the transmit load balancing engine. 
   
   
     9. The network of  claim 8  wherein the switch fabric further comprises an interface port communicatively coupled to the transmit load balancing engine. 
   
   
     10. A method in a network comprising:
 receiving information at a load balancing engine of a first network switch; 
 load balancing the information across a plurality of virtual channels of the first network switch; and 
 sending the information to a load balancing engine of a second network switch, wherein the load balancing engine of the second network switch to subdivide the information across an equal number of virtual channels of the second network switch corresponding to the plurality of virtual channels of the first network switch. 
 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 10  wherein the load balancing engine of the second network switch to subdivide the information across the equal number of virtual channels of the second network switch comprises:
 the load balancing engine of the second network switch to allocate the information across the equal number of virtual channels of the second network switch in a same manner as the first network switch load balanced the information across the plurality of virtual channels of the first network switch. 
 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 11  wherein the information comprises a first frame, and wherein load balancing the information across the plurality of virtual channels of the first network switch comprises:
 determining that the first frame is to be transmitted over a first virtual channel of the plurality of virtual channels of the first network switch. 
 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 12  wherein the load balancing engine of the second network switch to subdivide the information across an equal number of virtual channels of the second network switch comprises:
 determining that the first frame is to be transmitted over a first corresponding virtual channel of the virtual channels of the second network switch. 
 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 13  wherein congestion occurs on the first corresponding virtual channel, and wherein the method further comprises dropping incoming packets on the first corresponding virtual channel. 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 14  wherein the information continues across remaining virtual channels of the second network switch. 
   
   
     16. The method of  claim 11  wherein the information comprises a source-destination pair, and wherein load balancing the information across the virtual channels of the first network switch comprises:
 determining that the source-destination pair is to be transmitted over a first virtual channel of the virtual channels of the first network switch. 
 
   
   
     17. A switch fabric comprising:
 a first network switch having a first channel, the first channel comprising a first plurality of virtual channels; 
 a second network switch having a second channel, the second channel comprising a second plurality of virtual channels corresponding to the first plurality of virtual channels; 
 a single network link communicatively connecting the first network switch and the second network switch; 
 a load balancing engine to load balance data traffic among the first plurality of virtual channels; 
 means for transmitting the data traffic from the first network switch to the second network switch over the single network link; and 
 means for receiving the data traffic at the second network switch via the single network link, wherein a receive load balancing engine of the second network switch distributes the data traffic among the second plurality of virtual channels corresponding to the first plurality of virtual channels. 
 
   
   
     18. The switch fabric of  claim 17  wherein the load balancing engine to load balance the data traffic comprises:
 means for load balancing the data traffic via a hashing algorithm, or via distribution of source-destination pairs of the data traffic among the plurality of virtual channels, or both.